By the end of the week, most of Saarlautern was in American hands. General Barton Hughes set up his temporary headquarters in the city hall where the German 48th Division had their headquarters. His staff took records out of footlockers and laid maps on the big table. GIs from the Signal Corps laid wire and hooked up the phones.
General Hughes dragged his feet to the office he’d chosen for himself, shut the door, and collapsed on the chair behind the desk. He took out his pipe and filled it with tobacco, telling himself that he should take a bath and shave immediately because you never knew who might show up suddenly. But first he thought he’d smoke a relaxing bowl of tobacco. The fight for Saarlautern had been a hard one and he’d directed every foot of the advance. He’d been constantly amazed by the speed and initiative displayed by frontline units, and now he understood why the Hammerheads were one of the most famous divisions in the ETO.
“TEN-HUT!” shouted somebody in the outer office.
General Hughes shot to his feet. Who the hell is out there? Laying his pipe on the desk, he straightened his spine and marched out of his office to the conference room.
His staff was standing at attention, and General Patton walked among them, shaking hands and joking around. Patton saw General Hughes and turned around. Patton was immaculate as usual, the three gold stars on his helmet gleaming, his boots highly polished, the famous pearl handled revolver at his waist.
General Hughes walked up to Patton and saluted.
“At ease!” Patton said.
Everyone relaxed a little.
“Well,” Patton said, “so this is Saarlautern. I understand this building used to be the headquarters of the Krauts who were here. No wonder it smells so bad. You’ll have to get a work detail up here with some disinfectant, General Hughes.”
“Yes sir.”
“Where’s your office?”
“Down the hall.”
“Lead the way.”
Hughes walked down the hall, and General Patton followed at his side. Staff officers and enlisted men passed by and saluted Patton, who smiled and said hello. Hughes was glad to see that Old Blood and Guts was in a good mood.
They entered General Hughes’ new office, Hughes sitting behind the desk and Patton perching on the chair in front of him.
“I wanted to talk with you alone, Bart,” Patton said, “because I wanted to congratulate you on the fine job you’ve done here in Saarlautern.”
“Thank you sir,” replied Hughes.
“You displayed gallantry and made use of sound military tactics in your assault. I knew I was putting the right man in command of the Hammerheads, and you’ve vindicated my judgment.”
General Hughes thought he’d better tell the truth before Patton found it out from some other source. “Sir,” he said, “I really didn’t plan this assault the way you think I did. We probably wouldn’t even be here right now if one of my line battalions didn’t take it upon themselves to charge into this city without any support at all.”
“But you knew they were doing it, didn’t you?”
“Well, yes sir.”
“And you didn’t try to stop them, did you?”
“Of course not.”
Patton shrugged. “That’s pretty important, Bart. A general has to know when to get the hell out of his men’s way and let them do their job. A lesser man, in the position you were in, would have told everybody to stop so he could get his bearings and figure out what to do. You had enough sense to let your boys keep rolling. That’s the mark of a leader, as far as I’m concerned.”
General Hughes smiled because Patton’s remarks made sense to him. For the first time, he felt as though he’d contributed something significant to the assault on Saarlautern. “The men in this division are great soldiers,” he said, his chest swelling with pride. “They deserve the fine reputation that they have.”
Patton leaned forward. “Let me tell you something, Bart. Men like the Hammerheads can make or break an officer. You have to know when to push them and when to back off. Sometimes you have to treat them like children and other times you have to respect them for the fighting men that they are. I thought you’d figure out how to handle them when I appointed you their commander. This is the first time you’ve commanded a division and you’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m sure you’ll be all right.” Patton looked at his watch. “Well, I’ve got to be moving along. Keep up the good work, Bart.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Patton stood, and General Hughes saluted him. Patton returned the salute and left the office. He marched down the corridor, nodding to the GIs who saluted, and left the building, climbing into his jeep and driving off to another sector of the Third Army front.
~*~
Mahoney opened his eyes and saw a white wall. His head felt as if it had been hit by a Mack truck. “Oooohhh,” he moaned.
“Sergeant Mahoney’s awake,” said a female voice.
Mahoney couldn’t move. “Ooooohhhhh.”
A pretty young nurse appeared in his line of vision, and Mahoney recognized her as Nurse Jackson, the petite one with the famous rear end. Beside her was another nurse Mahoney didn’t know.
“How are you feeling this afternoon, Sergeant Mahoney?” Nurse Jackson asked, taking Mahoney’s pulse.
“Oooohhhhh,” replied Mahoney.
“I don’t think Sergeant Mahoney’s feeling very well this afternoon,” Nurse Jackson said to the other nurse, whose nametag said OBOJSKI. “His pulse is normal, though.”
“What happened to me?” Mahoney groaned.
“You’ve got a concussion,” Nurse Jackson said spryly.
“Is that bad?” Mahoney asked.
“It’s better than the skull fracture that everybody thought you had when you came in here.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Three days.”
“I’ve been out cold for three days?”
“No, you woke up a few times and talked, but I guess you don’t remember,” Nurse Jackson said. “You said some things that were disgusting.”
“Like what?”
“You don’t think I’d repeat things like that, do you?” she said, raising her eyebrows.
“It was that bad, huh?”
“Yes.” She let go of Mahoney’s wrist. “Well, you just take it easy there, Sergeant Mahoney, and in a few days I’m sure you’ll be up and around.”
Mahoney tried to grin. “How can I take it easy with babes like you walking around in front of me?”
“I’m sure you’ll manage. Everyone else does.”
“Did you work in a bank by any chance before you joined the Army, Nurse Jackson?”
“What makes you ask that, Sergeant Mahoney?”
“Because you’ve got some awfully nice assets, Nurse Jackson.”
“Close your eyes and get some rest, Sergeant Mahoney. Thoughts like that aren’t doing you any good at all.”
~*~
Just as Nurse Jackson said, Mahoney was able to get up and walk around in four days. Dressed in a gray and white striped robe with U.S. ARMY stenciled on the breast pocket and wearing a bandage like a turban around his head, he strolled down to the solarium at the end of the hall, that being the only place in the ward where patients could smoke.
He entered the solarium and saw GIs sitting on wheelchairs or regular chairs, smoking cigarettes and shooting the shit. Some were bandaged nearly from head to toe, and others appeared ready to be returned to the front. The solarium had huge windows; it was a gloomy rainy day outside. In the distance the sound of artillery fire could be heard.
Mahoney spotted an empty chair near some Red Cross ladies who were passing out cookies to the GIs.
“Would you like a cookie, soldier?” one of the Red Cross ladies said to Mahoney.
“Yes ma’am—I sure would.”
She held out the tray, and Mahoney took two chocolate chip cookies.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome, soldier.”
Mahoney didn’t know whether to eat a cookie or smoke a cigarette first. He decided to eat a cookie, listening to the conversation next to him.
“It’s awfully nice of you ladies,” said the GI beside Mahoney, “to come and visit us soldiers like this.”
Mahoney thought the voice sounded familiar and looked toward the soldier, but Red Cross ladies were standing in the way.
“Well,” replied one of the Red Cross ladies, “it’s an honor for us to come and visit you brave boys.”
“We only did our duty,” the GI said sanctimoniously.
“Every one of you is a hero to us and the folks at home.”
“Maybe so, but we only follow our orders as best we can.”
“God bless you, soldier.”
“God bless you, ma’am.”
The Red Cross ladies moved out of the way, and Mahoney found himself staring at Private Olds, whose chest was wrapped in bandages and whose arm was in a sling. He also had a bandage wrapped around his head.
“Why you son of a bitch!” Mahoney said when the Red Cross ladies were out of hearing distance.
Private Olds turned to Mahoney and his eyes nearly popped out. “You!”
“What in the fuck are you doing here!” Mahoney said.
Olds grinned and pointed to the bandages on his chest. “I’ve got a million dollar wound right here, Sarge. I’m going back to the States.”
“You fucking cocksucker,” Mahoney said.
“What’s the matter with you, Sarge? Jealous?”
Mahoney grunted and lit his cigarette. It didn’t seem right to him that a coward like Olds should be sent back to the States while other soldiers had to fight at the front.
“I thought you were dead,” Mahoney said.
“Looks like you were wrong.” Olds leaned toward Mahoney, covered his mouth with his hand, and said, “When you get out of the Army, look me up. I’ll give you a job sweeping floors at the store.”
Mahoney stirred in his chair. “I’m going to kill you, you cocksucker.”
“Whoa Sarge—don’t do anything you might be sorry for!”
Mahoney relaxed and dropped back into his chair. If he strangled Olds they’d send him to the stockade and maybe shoot him.
“I should have put a bullet in your head while I had the chance,” Mahoney said.
Olds laughed. “It’s too late for that now, Sarge. I’m on my way back to L.A. I’m gonna get a purple heart and all the girls’ll try to put their hands in my pants.”
“You ain’t got nothing in there for them to grab—you goddamn fairy!”
“Calm down, Sarge. You’re liable to bust a gut.”
Mahoney wanted to tell everybody in the solarium that Olds was a coward and a creep, but couldn’t bring himself to denounce Olds publicly. Olds would deny everything and Mahoney would look like a fool.
“Fuck you,” Mahoney said, getting out of his chair.
He walked across the solarium, sat in another vacant chair, and puffed his cigarette glumly. Life always was so unfair. When other soldiers were wounded, they were patched up and returned to the front, but not that weasel Olds. He was going home a hero while better men were going home in pine boxes.
Mahoney had been religious once, but situations like this caused him to lose faith in God. How could there be a God who permitted such blatant injustice? How could a God let a war take place?
Nurse Obojski passed into his line of vision. She walked across the solarium to a soldier in front of Mahoney, bent over, and stuck a thermometer in his mouth. Then she felt the soldier’s pulse and looked at her watch.
Mahoney gazed at her through hooded eyes. She had short curly blond hair and was on the pudgy side, with a big wide round ass. Her face was jolly and she was friendly to all the GIs. Mahoney undressed her mentally and decided that she wasn’t bad at all. He began to get a hard-on as he thought of crawling over her soft warm body and screwing away.
Nurse Obojski finished with the soldier and turned to walk out of the solarium. Mahoney shot to his feet and intercepted her.
“Nurse Obojski,” he said, “might I speak with you for a moment please?”
She smiled in her friendly way. “Sure.”
“I have something wrong with me, and I wonder if you’d examine me in private someplace.”
“What is it?”
“A terrific pain.”
“Where?”
“I can’t explain it, but I can show you.”
“Perhaps I should get Doctor Sullivan to look at you.”
“I’d rather you did it, Nurse Obojski. I have faith in you.”
She laughed. “Really, Sergeant Mahoney.”
There was a tone of urgency in his voice. “Please, Nurse Obojski.”
“Oh, all right. Come this way, please.”
He followed her down the corridor, watching the two halves of her ass fighting each other underneath her white dress. His dick throbbed passionately because fat women always had turned him on in a strange lascivious way. He wondered if he could be shot for trying to seduce a nurse, but somehow, in his masculine arrogance, he thought he could bring it off.
She opened the door to an examining room and went inside. He followed her in and closed the door behind him, latching it surreptitiously.
“Would you care to lie down on the table, Sergeant Mahoney?” Nurse Obojski said, stepping toward the sink so she could wash her hands.
Mahoney sat on the table, took out his enormous stiff dong, and covered it with his bathrobe. Nurse Obojski washed her hands, dried them, and approached Mahoney.
“Well, what’s wrong?” she asked.
He grabbed her hand, whipped the robe off his erection, and touched her hand to it. “This,” he said.
She said eek and jumped back. Mahoney went after her, his dick waving from side to side like a broom handle. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his lips in her neck.
“Nurse Obojski,” he said breathlessly, “I’ve been in love with you ever since I first laid eyes on you.”
She tried to push him away. “Stop that!”
“I can’t stop,” he said, pulling her tighter against his erection, “I dream about you every night.”
“Sergeant Mahoney—please let me go!”
“Ssshhhh— not so loud.”
“If you don’t let me go—I’ll call the Military Police!”
Mahoney lifted her dress and cupped her ample haunches in his hands. “You wouldn’t do that to me, would you Nurse Obojski?” he asked, licking her ear.
“Stop it!”
“I can’t.”
“Please don’t do this to me, Sergeant Mahoney,” she whimpered.
“But I love you, Nurse Obojski!”
“You don’t love me,” she said, squirming to get away, “all you want is to get laid.”
“So let’s get laid.” He pulled up her dress in front and pushed his erection against her white fluffy underpants.
“Oh my God!” she moaned.
“Please Nurse Obojski,” he grunted, bending his knees and hunching his back in an effort to stick it in.
“Stop that!”
“I can’t.”
“I’m going to call the MPs.”
“I don’t care.”
“Please stop.”
“No.”
He pushed her toward the examining table and noticed that she was struggling less.
“You’re taking advantage of me,” she said weakly.
“I’m in love with you,” he whispered, trying to plant his lips on hers.
“This is rape,” she muttered.
“It’s love,” he replied.
“Let me latch the door,” she said.
“I already took care of that.”
“You bastard.”
Gently but firmly, he pushed her onto the examining table, then jumped on top of her, unbuttoning the front of her nurse’s uniform.
“Mahoney,” she sighed, giving up the fight, “this is far beneath the standards we’ve set for hospital procedures.”
“You’re so lovely and pink,” he replied, pulling off her brassiere and stuffing her left nipple into his mouth.
She spread her legs, and he pounced on her right breast, slobbering and kissing it while stroking between her legs. He pulled the elastic leg band away and rammed his dick into the moist fur, groping blindly for the magic spot and charging inside.
She raised her knees and swung her rump from side to side as Mahoney humped her desperately, hoping to get his rocks off before the other nurses figured something strange was going on and decided to break down the door. The examining table bounced around on the floor and threatened to collapse, but Mahoney kept going, smothering her face with kisses and holding onto her ass for dear life.
“Hurry up!” she wheezed.
Mahoney felt the ticklish sweet sensation build up in his groin, and since there was no reason to hold back, he let it blow. The orgasm sent him into wild spasmodic motions, and both of them nearly fell off the examining table.
A few minutes later they lay against each other, breathing heavily.
“I didn’t realize,” she said, “that you’d made such a rapid recovery from your wounds. I think it’s time you were discharged from this hospital, because no nurse is safe as long as you’re walking around here, Mahoney.”
“Let’s spend a night together,” he whispered into her ear.
“I couldn’t do that,” she said.
“Why not?”
“Because you’re an enlisted man.”
“Nobody would have to know.”
She scratched her cheek. “I’ll think about it,” she said. “Meanwhile, get off me and let me get dressed—somebody might want to use this room for a medical purpose.”
“Yes ma’am,” replied Mahoney, sliding it out.
He dismounted, pulled up his pajama bottoms, and tied the string. The joy juice ran down his leg and stained the pajamas, but he covered up with his robe.
She rearranged herself and buttoned her dress, smoothing out the wrinkles. Then she went to the mirror and pushed her curls back into place.
“You go first,” she said.
Mahoney opened the door and stepped into the corridor. Nurses and patients walked back and forth. Mahoney headed for the latrine, a happy smile on his face.